In Sins of a Solar Empire, you are the leader of a civilization embroiled in a galactic war, fighting for the survival of your entire race against relentless foes. Your success will depend entirely on your ability to manage your empire and command your vast fleets of starships to victory. Sins of a Solar Empire is a "RT4X" game, blending the epic strategy and empire management of the 4x genre with the fast-paced and tactical elements of a real-time strategy title.

To achieve victory over your numerous enemies in Sins of a Solar Empire, you will have to:

Explore A game of Sins of a Solar Empire can range from 30 to 100 planets in size, spread out among up to four different solar systems. Travel is managed via phase lanes; interplanetary and interstellar highways that connect planets, asteroids and stars. Send scouts to unexplored planets to discover new lanes and new territory to conquer. As you grow in power, you can also research new technology to help find distant planets and detect the movement of enemy fleets from far off.

Expand As you discover new territory to claim, you must expand and claim it as quickly as possible, or else the enemy might! Add planets and asteroids rich in resources to your ever-growing empire either through military conquest or cultural dominance. If your war fleets can not wrest control of a planet from an enemy, extend your cultural influence along the phase lanes, and entice enemy populations on the fringes to join your cause instead.

Exploit An expanding empire requires resources to power its ever-growing war machine and economic engine. Sins of a Solar Empire has three primary resources; Metal, Crystal and Credits. Building structures on planets and in-orbit will help you maximize your income and ability to support larger and larger fleets of ships.

Exterminate Your empire grows in size and in strength, but now your borders are threatened by an opposing empire. They block further expansion and look poised to strike against you. Now you are faced with but one choice; run and hide behind your fortified worlds, or take the offensive and strike before the enemy can. Sins of a Solar Empire at its core is a game of interstellar war. Victory will only be achieved when your enemies lie broken and defeated at your feet. Only once you have secured peace and safety for your people through the extermination of your foes can you rest.

Diplomacy Though through war you will secure ultimate victory, you may not always be ready for a fight. Diplomacy is the tool of a leader looking to exploit the weakness, generosity or naïveté of opposing rulers. Strike deals with your opponents for a temporary cease fire, an exchange of goods and money, or sharing intelligence data, perhaps to band together against a common, stronger enemy. In addition to striking deals with your opponents, you can take out bounties on empires, enticing other factions to attack for you.

Your high-level goals are to explore, expand, exploit, exterminate and manipulate adversaries through diplomacy and economic pressure. To achieve those goals however, you will need to effectively manage your empire and fleets.

Construct Orbital Facilities Shipyards, research stations, and asteroid mines are among your most important buildings and key to powering your economy and war machine.

Setup Defensive Positions Your ships can not be everywhere at once, so use defensive platforms and strategic choke points in the phase lane network to secure and protect your planets from enemy fleets.

Amass and Command Huge Fleets Build fleets of capital ships, cruisers, frigates and support vessels to ravage enemy defenses and worlds. Manage your ships in battle to obliterate enemy forces and fight your way to victory.

Customize Capital Ships As your capital ships fight, their crews gain valuable combat experience, and as they grow more battle-hardened, they will learn new and cunning techniques to further improve their effectiveness in battle. Your capital ships are your most prized asset in any fleet.

Research Advanced Technology Improve your ships weapons, unlock more advanced ships and structures, and discover new ways to exploit your resources by investing in technology research. A player who effectively manages the technology tree will be a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.